The present disclosure relates to a film with an integrated peelable coupon. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a multilayer film having at least a first layer, indicia printed on the first layer, a layer of release coating applied in a pattern to the interior surface of (or to the indicia printed on) the first layer and another polymeric layer, resulting in a peelable portion of the film structure from a pattern of perforations or slits through certain layers of the multilayer film.
Packaging is becoming more sophisticated to keep up with promotional requests from marketers of products. Cost-effective promotions may generate excitement for a product and increase sales. Packaging for products should be consumer friendly and easy to use. One pertinent area includes coupons that may be peeled from packaging film to reveal a store coupon, sweepstakes prize or other promotional item.
Store coupons or game pieces have been inserted as separate items in packaging units with the promotion advertised on the outside of the packaging units. This technique readily allows for different store coupons or unique game pieces to be inserted as separate items. But the separate insertion complicates processing, and often pieces are not inserted in every packaging unit. Also, store coupons or game pieces have been adhered to the outside of packaging units as labels. But with this technique, store coupons or game pieces may be removed by non-customers who remove the label without purchasing the product. Store coupons or game pieces have been incorporated and/or inserted into packaging units as promotions to avoid these concerns and to encourage purchase of the product.
Multilayer films may be used to produce packaging units, such as bags, for packaging food or other items. Different layers have distinct properties; and continuous layers, such as metallized polypropylene, are known to have barrier properties. The layers of multilayer films may be adhesive or extrusion laminated.
Extrusion lamination involves using a thin, polymeric layer, typically polyethylene, to bond to other layers of film or foil. Extrusion lamination has certain benefits over adhesive lamination in producing multilayer films, such as building a thicker and stronger multilayer lamination. Also, preferable to adhering separate layers together, extrudates may have cost advantages and fewer environmental issues over adhesives. Therefore, it may be preferable to avoid adhesives in producing multilayer films.
However, adhesive lamination has certain benefits over extrusion lamination. Adhesive lamination involves using an adhesive, such as acrylic, urethane or polyester, to bond layers of film or foil. Adhesive lamination may be preferable to extrusion lamination. It may facilitate technically easier converting when scoring particular structures, such as polyethylene, or when bonding materials that are incompatible with extrusion lamination. Additionally, adhesive lamination may provide for a thinner, non-bulky, multilayer film, as it need not contain an extrudate layer.
An example film structure for a packaging unit is an outer layer of clear oriented polypropylene, ink or indicia reverse printing, an extrudate of polyethylene and a layer of metallized oriented polypropylene. The metallized polypropylene layer provides barrier properties. This packaging unit may be used for items including, but not limited to, salty snacks.
Another example film structure for a packaging unit is an outer layer of polyethylene, ink or indicia surface printing, an adhesive and a layer of oriented polypropylene. This packaging unit may be used for items including but not limited to individually-wrapped items, such as, by way of non-limiting example, candies or small chocolate bars, or other items, including but not limited to non-greasy snacks. This packaging unit may comprise the second packaging unit when items are individually wrapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,743 (Knoerzer, et. al.) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/145,399 (published as US 2006/0285780) (the '399 application) disclose a flexible container with a wall structure comprised of multilayer, flexible, thin film, including a first layer that is affixed to the wall structure by a releasable adherence and that incorporates a removable promotional piece. The multilayer film incorporates a promotional piece, defined by a continuous cut, into the exterior layer of the container and releasable at any cross-section of the container. Removal of the removable portion of the multilayer film does not compromise the barrier properties of the container. The '399 application also discloses the use of variable peel forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,929 (Brunner, et. al.) discloses a flexible film laminate including an exterior layer, an interior layer and an adhesive layer for attaching the two layers. The adhesive layer includes a non-adhesive portion where the exterior layer is not adhered to the interior layer where a hidden printed indicia portion contacts the interior layer. The indicia portion is printed on the interior surface of the exterior layer. A gray block layer obscures the indicia portion. Another ink layer is disposed on the gray block layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,743 (Miller, et. al.) discloses a package comprised of multilayer, flexible film where a promotional piece is positioned between, but not adhered to, adjacent layers. The promotional piece may be a game card, coupon, paper advertisement or any other item capable of being placed between and held in position by two layers. Upon extrusion lamination, two layers surround the piece and act to hold it firmly in place; and the piece is therefore built into the package wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,300 (Knoerzer, et. al.) discloses a package comprising a first layer and a second layer laminated together by a third layer, where two parallel, continuous, complete cuts extend through the first layer but not through the second layer; and the strip formed by the cuts may be removed from the exterior layer of the package.
It is desirable to produce a multilayer film with a peelable coupon that is easy to make and easy to use. Incorporating the coupon into the outer layer of the film lowers material and processing costs compared with designs employing a promotional piece that is separately inserted in the packaging unit or between layers of film.